boxingfandomcom-20200214-history
Buster Mathis
|reach = |weight = Heavyweight |nationality= American |birth_date = |birth_place = Sledge, Mississippi |death_date = |death_place = Grand Rapids, Michigan |style = Orthodox |total = 34 |wins = 30 |KO = 21 |losses = 4 |draws = 0 }} Buster Mathis (June 11, 1943 - September 6, 1995) was a boxer who had a very successful career as an amateur heavyweight boxer. He qualified for a spot in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. However, he was injured and was unable to compete there. Instead of him, the fighter Mathis beat in the Olympic Trials went to the Olympics. This fighter was the legendary Joe Frazier, who went on to win the gold medal. Pro career Mathis turned professional in June 1965 with a second round knockout victory over Bob Maynard. Buster Mathis went on to win his next 22 contests as well and qualified for a shot at the New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Title, which had become vacant after Muhammad Ali was stripped of the title for refusing to be drafted into the United States army. The fight was to be held March 4, 1968 in New York's Madison Square Garden and the fighter he had to beat for the championship was Joe Frazier, his old nemesis. Mathis made a promising start to the contest but could not keep up with the lighter Frazier and lost the fight by an 11th round knockout. Buster Mathis continued to fight in the following years, outpointing highly regarded ironman George Chuvalo, but losing on points to Jerry Quarry - a fight Mathis was favoured to win. Mathis retired after losing to Quarry in 1969, but returned in 1971 to box Muhammad Ali for the NABF belt, losing on points over 12 rounds. Ali was later criticized for not finishing Mathis in the final rounds of the fight. After Mathis was knocked out in three rounds in August 1972 by fast-rising puncher Ron Lyle, he decided to retire for good from boxing. Mathis suffered from various health problems in later years, such as diabetes and kidney problems. He suffered a heart attack and two strokes. His compulsive eating had ballooned his weight to 550 pounds and, in 1995, he died of a heart attack at age of 52. He won 30 fights (21 by KO) and lost 4 (with Frazier, Jerry Quarry, Ali and Lyle). Professional boxing record |- |align="center" colspan=8|'30 Wins' (21 knockouts, 9 decisions), 4 Losses (2 knockouts, 2 decisions)http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=7001&cat=boxer |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Result' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Record' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Opponent' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Type' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Round' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Date' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Location' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'Notes' |-align=center | Loss | |align=left| Ron Lyle |KO |2 |29 Sep 1972 |align=left| Denver Coliseum, Denver, Colorado |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Humphrey McBride |TKO |3 |5 Sep 1972 |align=left| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |align=left| |- | Loss | |align=left| Muhammad Ali |UD |12 |17 Nov 1971 |align=left| Astrodome, Houston, Texas |align=left| |- | Loss | |align=left| Jerry Quarry |UD |12 |24 Mar 1969 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| George Chuvalo |UD |12 |3 Feb 1969 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| J.J. Woody |TKO |6 |26 Sep 1968 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Dick Wipperman |UD |10 |16 Sep 1968 |align=left| County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Amos Lincoln |SD |10 |5 Sep 1968 |align=left| Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| J.J. Beattie |TKO |7 |25 Jul 1968 |align=left| Met Center, Bloomington, Minnesota |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| M.J. Turnbow |TKO |7 |30 Apr 1968 |align=left| Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida |align=left| |- | Loss | |align=left| Joe Frazier |TKO |11 |4 Mar 1968 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Gerry de Bruyn |KO |1 |26 Dec 1967 |align=left| Frolundaborg, Gothenburg |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Roberto Davila |TKO |7 |18 Nov 1967 |align=left| Johanneshov, Stockholm |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Ron Marsh |TKO |4 |18 Sep 1967 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Wayne Heath |KO |5 |2 Aug 1967 |align=left| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Sonny S.D. Moore |TKO |5 |23 May 1967 |align=left| Saint Louis, Missouri |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Ed "Baker Boy" Hurley |KO |1 |12 May 1967 |align=left| Detroit, Michigan |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Waban Thomas |KO |1 |6 Feb 1967 |align=left| Astrodome, Houston, Texas |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| E.S. Andrews |KO |2 |17 Nov 1966 |align=left| Portland Exposition Building, Portland, Maine |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Johnny Barazza |KO |1 |2 Nov 1966 |align=left| Civic Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Earl Averette |TKO |3 |28 Sep 1966 |align=left| Cambria County War Memorial Arena, Johnstown, Pennsylvania |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Bob Stallings |SD |10 |15 Sep 1966 |align=left| Armory, Akron, Ohio |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Mert Brownfield |KO |1 |29 Aug 1966 |align=left| Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Charley E. Chase |UD |6 |28 Jul 1966 |align=left| Portland Exposition Building, Portland, Maine |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Everett Copeland |KO |2 |23 Jun 1966 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Tom Swift |KO |1 |16 Jun 1966 |align=left| Portland Exposition Building, Portland, Maine |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Charley Polite |PTS |6 |16 Feb 1966 |align=left| Westchester County Center, White Plains, New York |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Mike Bruce |TKO |5 |19 Jan 1966 |align=left| Westchester County Center, White Plains, New York |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Chuck Wepner |TKO |3 |7 Jan 1966 |align=left| Madison Square Garden, New York City |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Charlie Lee |PTS |6 |15 Dec 1965 |align=left| Westchester County Center, White Plains, New York |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Bob Stallings |UD |6 |23 Sep 1965 |align=left| Grand Rapids, Michigan |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Bob Maynard |PTS |4 |30 Aug 1965 |align=left| Paul Sauve Arena, Montreal, Quebec |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left|Johnny Shore |TKO |2 |28 Aug 1965 |align=left| Rock Island, Quebec |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Bob Maynard |TKO |2 |28 Jun 1965 |align=left| Paul Sauve Arena, Montreal, Quebec |align=left| |} Personal His son Buster Mathis Jr. was to later become a successful fighter, and was to take on Mike Tyson in 1995. His son Cole, was born in China in 1992, in Shanghai. External links * Notes Category:1943 births Category:1995 deaths Category:Boxers from Mississippi Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:People from Quitman County, Mississippi